How Matt Stone Racing brought Percat back to his best

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: March 28, 2024

Victorious team boss Matt Stone revealed it took just one meeting to ignite the fire back into Nick Percat, propelling the veteran to a famous drought-breaking win in Melbourne.

In just his second round at Matt Stone Racing, underdog Percat fended off the big dogs from Triple Eight to secure a special success in a dramatic Melbourne SuperSprint finale.

The South Australian veteran admitted post race he was on the verge of calling it quits during his challenging two-year stint at Walkinshaw Andretti United.

However, Percat is much happier at his new home MSR, finishing all six races in the top 10, culminating in a sweet victory, a first in four years and fifth overall.

It has pushed him to fourth in the championship with only Chaz Mostert and the two all conquering Triple Eight Camaros ahead of him.

Team Principal Stone said the first interaction with Percat at the workshop was enough to seal the deal, with the driver thriving in the family of racers.

“We had a meeting with Nick and it was less about creating a program to work together and more about Nick seeing what we are doing and us seeing what he is about and deciding whether we wanted to do something,” Stone told AUTO ACTION.

“I think Nick walked into our workshop and got really excited by the way we go racing and we were excited by his passion for motorsport.

“He even said to me after that meeting he realised he was not done yet and the way we go racing is how he likes to.

“That is why it has been such a quick run to results because the culture fit is good and the way he has done racing at past teams like BJR and himself is similar to our way.

“We are a small family team and have no politics internally.

“The buck stops with me and there is no hiding behind the layers of management.

“We are here to go racing and that comes first.”

After the win Percat opened up on why he felt at home at MSR.

“They are just core racers,” he said.

“You have Jimmy Stone building uprights and Matt is on the tools and welding cracks on my car.

“The old saying of good management is you flip the pyramid upside down and the boss is on the ground with the troops and that is what Matt is, which is great to see.

“The team fits me well because I appreciate hard work and I love going racing.”

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How Matt Stone Racing brought Percat back to his best

However, Percat is much happier at his new home MSR, finishing all six races in the top 10, culminating in a sweet victory, a first in four years and fifth overall.

“I think Nick walked into our workshop and got really excited by the way we go racing and we were excited by his passion for motorsport.

After the win Percat opened up on why he felt at home at MSR.

“The old saying of good management is you flip the pyramid upside down and the boss is on the ground with the troops and that is what Matt is, which is great to see.

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